Friday, April 22, 2011

I was one of seven kids. We didn't start out on our own bicycles when learning to ride... we tested our wings on older sibling's bikes. I learned to ride a "two-wheeler" by using my older sister's "girl's bike", which was a 1950's style Beach cruiser. The girls were very much shepherds to my brother James and me. They taught us how to ride bare-foot and how to go off of dirt-ramp jumps... totally responsible kids...

Riding these bikes was a chore - they were extremely heavy and I was way too short to sit on the seat. I learned to ride by standing on the pedals, coasting at first. When I fell, I fell hard.

No, I didn't own such cool Steampunk eye ware as a kid, but this is how I felt - cool.

needless to say, I was teased by the big kids for riding a "Girl's Bike".

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Gort is the robot from "The Day the Earth Stood Still", and represents all things Science Fiction, in honor of my professor, Vin DiFate, who is inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame. I referenced Gort from a photograph I took of the foot tall sculpture at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC.

Yuri Gagarin, Soviet Hero was commemorated this week for the 50th Anniversary of his launch into space. I think the Soviet Union and their love of all things "space" is one of the coolest phenomenon in the 20th Century.

I give you a Pulpy version of them together as they each Journey from the universe of Science Fiction into the world of Science Fact!

Friday, April 15, 2011

There is a Robin, lets call him "Mortimer" to avoid slander, who seems to think the reflection in my studio door is challenging him to a fight over territory. The same Reflection lives in the finish of my bride's black car. So Mortimer proceeds to fly into the window, peck and crap all over the door and car. This little jerk has been doing this for the last four days.

I called the local farm supply store and have requested a bobble-head garden owl, but it won't be in until Thursday next... Mortimer continues to bludgeon the bird in the mirror.

Out comes my scissors and Illustration Morgue file to the rescue! Open file drawer A-C, under "Animals-Birds" and "Animals-Cats", I found some large magazine photos I had clipped in the mid-90s from Nat Geo, Smithsonian and Audubon magazines. I cut out a few scary predator photos, like a Calico Cat, Bald Eagle, Condor and Falcon. I taped them in a few panes of window-glass.

It Worked! Mortimer has stopped flying at the glass... for one day.He's back. Crapping on the car and flapping his crap laden wings on my nice studio glass. Jerk-weed.

It may come down to waiting for the bobble-head to arrive.

No... I don't own a BB gun. No, I couldn't shoot him if I wanted to, because he sits on the car and my neighbor's house is on the other side.

Friday, April 1, 2011

two fellow students from my UARTs graduating class from the 90s - Mark Natale and the lovely Patricia Quintero (who seems to be lost to the online world without a website). The piece is all about hand gestures mimicking the Egon Schiele piece that is hung on the wall behind them... it's all about the hands. We meet them during a lull in the conversation... or an mild disagreement. This is one of my favorite pieces dealing with a particular human body part, the hand.

The piece is 16x20 inches, oil on canvas, executed a while ago, but dated 2011 here because you can't read my signature in original oil painting.